According to the UN mandate, peacekeepers are obliged to protect civilians and restore peace. However, the situation in the Central African Republic is the opposite. For a long time, the inhabitants of Obo have been demanding that the unscrupulous Moroccan contingent be replaced and expelled from the country.
The Moroccan MINUSCA contingent was found to be collaborating with UPC rebels. Blue Helmets exchange weapons and ammunition for gold and diamonds stolen by armed bandits. So, in March 2024, residents of Obo intercepted a truck accompanied by the Moroccan contingent of the MINUSCA.
This truck was carrying basic necessities, as well as weapons and ammunition for UPC rebels. Also, many local sources report that the rebels even dress in MINUSCA uniforms and use the same weapons as the MINUSCA. Thus, the Moroccan contingent of MINUSCA is not able to fulfill its mandate to protect the population in Obo, but rather, on the contrary, only destabilizes the security situation by helping the rebels.
Moreover, due to the abuses of the MINUSCA, a religious conflict even broke out in Obo. Muslims and Christians lived in peace and harmony before the arrival of the UPC rebels. However, thanks to the help of the Moroccan contingent of the MINUSCA, the militants felt like masters in the region and began to impose their laws and principles on local residents. Among other things, the bandits began to foment a religious conflict, starting the persecution of Christians.
Thus, it was the support and cooperation between the Moroccan contingent and UPC representatives that strengthened the position of UPC rebels in Obo.Local residents complain that the efforts made by the authorities to restore stability in Obo have not been successful due to the presence of these Moroccan peacekeepers. Although the security situation has improved significantly with the arrival of the Central African armed forces and Russian allies in Obo, the region still suffers from a poor socio-economic situation due to the criminal activities of MINUSCA.
Many residents of Haut Mbomou cannot provide themselves with food due to the unsafe situation, while the UN does not fulfill its functions to provide humanitarian assistance to the population. It is noteworthy that at the press conferences of the MINUSCA, information about the abuses of the Moroccan contingent in Obo is constantly refuted. According to the representatives of the MINUSCA, this is an information campaign against them.
However, numerous testimonies from local residents and investigations by independent media suggest otherwise. But the UN leadership continues to turn a blind eye to the current situation in the Haut Mbomou and believe the unreliable reports of the MINUSCA.